Free or Fee Wi-Fi? How quickly industry positions change Back in July of 2002, Fortune (part of the Time Warner family) was complaining that bandwidth sharing was unethical, Time Warner cable lawyers were sending Wi-Fi hotspot operators legal threats for said practice, and AT&T Broadband was flying planes over residential neighborhoods looking for Wi-Fi "broadband bootleggers". That's why it's so entertaining to watch ISPs now embrace the practice, and the effort to monetize Wi-Fi. Free, or Fee?
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 | | Hypocrites This is the same Time Warner that gives wide open Toshiba PCX 5000 modems/routers (with SSID PCX5000)?
When I lived in my apartment, I could see 16(!) open PCX routers. | |
|  |  intellerSociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK | Re: Hypocrites sweet...sounds like a good plan to me! | |
| | | | | Re: Hypocrites Sometimes looking down the barrel of 15mbit fios buildouts causes a change of heart, do whatever you want with a connection your paying us for (within reasonable limits)...
It smacks of a company that might get pushed to the edge of profitablity once verizon comes in a says, my customers, all mine, mine, mine mine!!
Hey, they might even give free aol a s bonus, NAH...! | |
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|  ThalerPremium
join:2004-02-02
Los Angeles, CA
kudos:3 | Not really promoting this...but I know if more michevious WiFi snoopers went around, screwing with routers left at default settings, you'd really see a turn-around on this "let's leave the AP's wide open by default" thing.
Your average user doesn't know what "secure" and "unsecure" wireless networks are...they only know what is "working" and "broken". After enough trouble calls down to (fill in bundled wide-open default AP ISP name here), they'd soon make it a point to have these things secured a little by default. (see SBC-2Wire's default 64-bit encryption setting...just enough to keep 90% of these loonies out) | |
| | |  HarddriveProud American and Infidel since 1968.Premium
join:2000-09-20
Phone Room
kudos:2 | Re: Hypocrites said by Thaler:
Not really promoting this...but I know if more michevious WiFi snoopers went around, screwing with routers left at default settings, you'd really see a turn-around on this "let's leave the AP's wide open by default" thing.
I have my Access Point open, but it is no way left at default. If you can find my AP, you'll find 12,000 mp3s available. And the PC that they are on isn't that good of a machine anyway if someone was to screw with it. Plus I use Airsnare to keep tabs on my LAN.
But I will agree with you AquaBlaze, there are some end users that are totally out to lunch when it comes to wi-fi security. I do like the fact that 2Wire comes with some security settings on. | |
| | | | ThalerPremium
join:2004-02-02
Los Angeles, CA
kudos:3 | Re: Hypocrites said by Harddrive:I have my Access Point open, but it is no way left at default. If you can find my AP, you'll find 12,000 mp3s available. And the PC that they are on isn't that good of a machine anyway if someone was to screw with it. Plus I use Airsnare to keep tabs on my LAN. Wish I had a seperate AP/PC to devote to a "free access & files for all!" kind of server...but I'm not about to put down that amount of coin for public access giggles. That, and I'm up on a hill...you'd have to be very awkwardly parked to enjoy any free services I might be offering.
However, if anyone comes knocking, I'll gladly offer to set them up with my AP point, and any and all files they might need.  | |
| | | | |  BonezXBasement DwellerPremium
join:2004-04-13
Canada | Re: Hypocrites [sarcasam] then the xxaa's will come knocking[/sarcasam]
it would be great to be able to run an access point in a community hooked into a oc48 line or a fios line, basically community internet, anyone needs a file they can get it off a neibhior or anything they need would be great, but, you have the nutbars and farks that will try to use it as their personial dumping grounds. | |
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| |  NerdtalkerWorking Hard, Or Hardly Working?Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ | "default" in and of itself is inherently open.
If manufacturers were to preconfigure their APs with a certain wireless encryption key, they would both confuse customers and provide them with a false sense of security. This is for a number of reasons:
•Since the consumer would likely have little knowledge of wireless encryption standards, he/she would be immediately confused regarding which to select (WPA-PSK AES, WPA-PSK TKIP, WEP x length key, WPA-RADIUS). Also, if the user had a wireless NIC that didn't support the default wireless encryption protocol, they'd probably end up tearing their hair out.
•This default key would immediately be widely published, (or a default keygen of some sort)
--
Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble. -William S. Halsey
iPod Shuffle=iPos
I'm testing Gmail's spam filters: Broadbandreports1@gmail.com
Spam: 4400+ | |
| | | | | the 2Wire encryption is default on anything they make just not for SBC. When i had the Earthlink wireless kit by 2Wire it was set up the same way. | |
| | | | ThalerPremium
join:2004-02-02
Los Angeles, CA
kudos:3
1 edit | Re: Hypocrites said by hottboiinnc:the 2Wire encryption is default on anything they make just not for SBC. When i had the Earthlink wireless kit by 2Wire it was set up the same way. Yes...any vendor associated w/ 2wire has a 64-bit encryption key enabled by default.
said by Nerdtalker:If manufacturers were to preconfigure their APs with a certain wireless encryption key, they would both confuse customers and provide them with a false sense of security. Confuse customers? Possibly...but then it would guarantee that someone with an IQ in the double digits is setting up the home network. I'd think anyone who can run through the setup wizard on their router, could also run through a simple 64-bit WEP setup.
said by Nerdtalker:This default key would immediately be widely published, (or a default keygen of some sort) Again, taking from 2wire's example, there is a unique 64-bit encryption key tatooed right on the base of the unit. There is no magic "2wire" default key...you'd have to have physical access to the unit in order to hack on in. And, of course, if someone has physical access to your router, nomatter what security systems you're running...all bets are off. | |
|
 dadkinsCan you do Blu?Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
kudos:18
2 edits | Money grubbing maggots! Look, I like going to The City(San Francisco) and using the FREELY OFFERED Wi-Fi from various coffee shops, etc., Berkely and Oakland businesses are getting into the idea as well.
Most Public Libraries offer FREE Wi-Fi.
Time Warner and any other money grubbing POS can kiss my a**! Even here in my town, we have two free hotspots(and of course the local PAY, Starbucks  ).
The mom and pop coffee shop(FREE access) is doing as well as Starbucks... from a crappier location. Wonder why. | |
| | ThalerPremium
join:2004-02-02
Los Angeles, CA
kudos:3 | Re: Money grubbing maggots! said by dadkins:Look, I like going to The City(San Francisco) and using the FREELY OFFERED Wi-Fi from various coffee shops, etc., Berkely and Oakland businesses are getting into the idea as well. Most Public Libraries offer FREE Wi-Fi. Time Warner and any other money grubbing POS can kiss my a**! Even here in my town, we have two free hotspots(and of course the local PAY, Starbucks ). Not to meantion the offering of my favorite ISPs: Linksys and default. 
The list continues on for free internet service providers in any urban setting. Crap, park yourself infront of any appartment building...there are a guaranteed mininmum of 5+ open APs. | |
| | | BonezXBasement DwellerPremium
join:2004-04-13
Canada | Re: Money grubbing maggots! buy a canzoka(lanzooka) for your laptop/desktop and just sit at home and scan for open ap's by moving it around until you find one with good connection. | |
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| | Speakeasy will pay you for WiFi Speakeasy, my ISP, will reduce your monthly bill if you can convince your neighbors to pay Speakeasy to use your wireless access point and DSL.
»www.speakeasy.net/netshare/learnmore/ | |
| | | | Re: Speakeasy will pay you for WiFi I loved that and was using it. Unfortunately I am too far out for good DSL so I had to switch back to cable. I wish cable operators would get on-board with that. I know several neighbors that don't want to pay $40 a month for basic web surfing every couple days. | |
| |  thender2Glamour ProfessionPremium
join:2004-05-16
Staten Island, NY | Speakeasy's home package: 728/128 $39.95/mo
My package: 3000/768 $30/month, no caps, and 10 day retention on many usenet binary groups.
Speakeasy makes me laugh every time I visit their site. Outside of satelite broadband, they're one of the biggest ripoffs in the broadband industry.
--
The Problem With Music.
Our Rationale
Time to rewrite the DMCA. | |
| | | BonezXBasement DwellerPremium
join:2004-04-13
Canada
1 edit | Re: Speakeasy will pay you for WiFi said by thender2:Speakeasy's home package: 728/128 $39.95/mo My package: 3000/768 $30/month, no caps, and 10 day retention on many usenet binary groups. Speakeasy makes me laugh every time I visit their site. Outside of satelite broadband, they're one of the biggest ripoffs in the broadband industry. my package(and the only package offered by isp)
5100/1000 $45(cdn) no caps, unlimited lan connection, free tech support(or included in price)
with phone/tv(digital)/highspeed $119.00(cdn) a month
i laugh real hard. | |
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| |  Secure Community WiFi
Maybe you might want to check out Radiuz...
www.radiuz.net | |
| | | Comcast and T-Mobile Partnership??? What a crock! That's t-mobile's regular pricing now! If I can't comp it to work or find something with netstumbler, then I'll do without. What good is the "partnership" to the customer??? Oooh, I get comcast / t-mobile branding? BFD.
Comcast and T-Mobile periodically offer discounts for hot spot use, which typically costs $6 an hour, $10 a day or $30 a month. --
When I die, I want to die like my grandmother, who died peacefully in her sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in her car.-Author Unknown | |
|  ctceoPremium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN | Farming It's a good thing that farmers don't charge us for that springtime field fertilization period. Where we can smell that pleasant aroma across the airwaves | |
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